Bangladeshi Student Leaders Launch National Citizen Party to Reshape Politics

The youth-led party, formed after last year’s uprising that ousted Sheikh Hasina, aims to challenge decades of dynastic political rule and establish a 'second republic.'

• The National Citizen Party (NCP), led by 26-year-old Nahid Islam, was officially launched at a rally in Dhaka, with a focus on participatory politics, transparency, and good governance.
• The party emerged following the July 2024 uprising that toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who remains in exile in India after her 15-year rule ended amidst allegations of corruption and authoritarianism.
• NCP leaders have called for drafting a new democratic constitution to prevent future autocratic governance, distinguishing themselves from the Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
• While the NCP has gained significant youth support, analysts question its ideological clarity and ability to secure a broad voter base in the next elections expected by late 2025 or early 2026.
• The party has criticized the BNP for obstructing efforts toward national unity and proposed banning Hasina’s Awami League, a move that has sparked debate among political observers.

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